


Night Light

by WetSammyWinchester



Series: OhSam challenge fics [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Community: ohsam, Foster Care, Gen, Hurt Sam Winchester, OhSam Celebrating Sam Challenge, Young Sam Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-03
Updated: 2017-05-03
Packaged: 2018-10-27 09:34:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10806462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WetSammyWinchester/pseuds/WetSammyWinchester
Summary: Dad told Sam that he should always be brave. But it’s tough when you’re ten and all alone.Written for prompt abandonment for ohsam celebratingsam birthday challenge





	Night Light

Sam breathed against the glass pane and slid his fingertip through the condensation that formed there, tracing letters over and over before the impression disappeared.

From his perch on the window seat, he could see the family next door piling into their car, a dog jumping in the back seat with the kids. Pressing his forehead against the glass, he could see Mr. Alvarez mowing the front yard below.

“Sam?”

He looked over his shoulder at Mrs. Alvarez, who hovered in the doorway. She told him several times the last day to call her Gloria, while she brought him homemade peanut butter cookies or chicken soup on a tray.

“Yes, Mrs. Alvarez?”

Her lips pressed tight together and she set down a glass of milk on the dresser. “I thought you might be thirsty.” She glanced down at the duffel bag, where it still sat, abandoned on the bedroom floor. “Do you need some help unpacking? There are plenty of empty drawers.”

When she went to get the bag’s handles, Sam snatch it away, holding it tight to his chest, the cast on his left arm making the movement awkward. He only had a few minutes to grab his things at the motel and took one of Dean's t-shirts by mistake. He also forgot his copy of The Hobbit under one of the pillows.

“No, it's fine.” Sam set the bag down on the bench behind him and pulled his knees up to his chest, balancing the white plaster cast on top. Dean would probably find the book when they got back to the room, and there was no sense unpacking when Dad and Dean would pick him up any time.

She sighed and Sam felt bad for a moment. He was lucky, according to the CPS officer. Sal and Gloria were the best foster family in the area. He should be grateful for the placement.

“Any word from my dad? How will he know where to find me?” He played with the edge of the new plaster where it was cut away for his thumb, watching the small crumbs fall away.

Gloria walked over and laid her hand on top of his. “The police left their business card at your motel. Your dad and brother can call the officers and they will explain what happened.”

What happened was his fault. He fell down in P.E. class when Danny Esposito pushed him from behind, and he cracked his wrist. The school office couldn't get a hold of Dad or Dean, and when they saw that Bobby as his emergency contact lived two states away, a pair of paramedics took him to the E.R. After the cast was set, a police detective and a CPS officer came by. Sam tried to explain to this tide of adults that kept spilling over him that Dean and Dad would be back soon, just a quick hunting trip, but no one was listening to a ten-year old who wears hand-me-downs and lives in a dive motel.

“Would you like a night light tonight?”

Sam's brow wrinkled up at the random question, and he pulled his arm away from Gloria.

“It's just--” she hesitated. “You had a nightmare last night, and I thought maybe you might be more comfortable if there was a night light.”

“I'm not a baby,” he said, then stopped. “I mean, no, thank you.”

She headed back to the door. “Just let me know if you change your mind, okay?”

Sam nodded and then turned back to the window. Pressing his forehead to the cool glass took his mind off the ache in his arm and his chest. They would find him here; they had to.

He exhaled on the glass again, fogging it up to trace the letters again in the condensation.

_SW DW_


End file.
